Cops Corner: Sarasota

By Observer Staff
| 5:00 a.m. March 7, 2013

Sarasota
Cops Corner

Feb. 24
NOWHERE IN SIGHT
2 a.m. — 1900 block of Hillview Street. Petit Theft. A woman was leaving a bar when she realized her purse was missing. The woman and a police officer checked the bar, bathroom garbage cans, parking lot, bushes, alley and dumpsters, but they were unable to locate her purse. The purse contained a cell phone, $50 cash, a driver’s license and a keychain with her house and car keys.

RENOVATION WOES
12 a.m. — 1900 block of S. Orange Avenue. Civil Problem. A neighbor reported roofing material was falling onto his home from another home that was being remolded. An officer spoke with the homebuilder, who said he would have a superintendent check on the home and put up netting.

IMPATIENT PEDESTRIAN
8:45 a.m. — 6300 block of Midnight Pass Road. Vehicle Crash. A man crashed his SUV into a woman’s car when it came to an abrupt stop. A pedestrian had activated flashing lights at the crosswalk and immediately crossed, causing the woman to slam on her brakes.

Feb. 25
HEARING THINGS
3:58 a.m. — Mecca Drive. General Suspicion. A security guard told officers that he believed he had heard six gunshots. Several minutes later, the guard heard what he believed were another six gunshots. Officers conducted a sweep of the area but did not observe anything suspicious.

ROUGH DAY AT WORK
5:03 p.m. — 1400 block of First Street. Disorderly Conduct. A man caused a disturbance inside a store. The man, who was in his 30s and wearing blue jeans and work boots, was intoxicated and using profanity toward employees. The man left the area and headed east on Main Street before officers arrived.

HOT RIDE
2 a.m. — 2000 block of Hillview Street. Suspicious Vehicle. A patrolling officer found a motor scooter hidden in the corner of an apartment complex. The scooter appeared to be “hotwired” and possibly stolen. The officer ran the tag, and the scooter was not reported stolen. Police said they would wait a few days to see if anyone claims the scooter.

Feb. 26
SPITTING MAD
9:05 a.m. — 1500 block of First Street. Suspicious Panhandling. A customer was leaving a bank when a homeless man approached him and asked him for something. After a short time, the homeless man appeared to be unhappy. A bank employee saw the homeless man spit on or near the customer’s feet. The homeless man left the area on foot. An officer was unable to locate either of the men.

HANDS-ON APPROACH
3:51 p.m. — 1400 block of First Street. Petit Theft. A homeless man entered a store and left with two pounds of salad from the salad bar without paying. The homeless man sat in the café area and ate the salad quickly with his hands. An employee approached the homeless man and asked if he had a receipt. The homeless man then left the store. After being followed out of the store by the employee and a manager, the homeless man hid in some bushes, where two officers and store employees found him. The homeless man said he was sorry, and officers transported him to jail.

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN
4:05 p.m. — 2100 block of Washington Boulevard. Petit Theft. Officers arrested a man for stealing a package of lighters and two cans of chicken. A store employee said the store did not wish to prosecute. The total cost of the items was $4.33.

Feb. 27
OBVIOUS INTOXICATION
2 a.m. — 9100 block of Midnight Pass Road. Driving Under the Influence. A woman parked her vehicle close to a police cruiser, and a deputy smelled alcohol when he approached her window. The woman said she had had two vodka drinks, wine and a Xanax pill earlier. Deputies found pills for which the woman did not have prescriptions, and arrested her after field sobriety tests.

CHANGING HIS WAYS
4 a.m. — 1500 block of Main Street. Miscellaneous. A police officer observed a homeless man sleeping behind a bank. The homeless man has an extensive arrest record involving domestic battery, disorderly intoxication and trespassing. On this date, the homeless man was cooperative and sober. He told the officer he had walked a long distance and could not go any further. He left the area without further incident.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
9:51 a.m. — 2200 block of Eighth Street. Burglary of a Structure. A storage-unit owner noticed a 60-inch Sony flat-screen television, in its original box, and a corner desk were missing from a storage unit. The business owner suspects one of the part-time workers might have duplicated the key to get into the storage units.

COLORFUL CAPER
11 a.m. — 5100 block of Oxford Drive. Grand Theft. A woman could not find three rings in her jewelry box and reported a possible theft to deputies. She reported two white-gold rings and a yellow-gold ring with emeralds, opals and pearls missing. Officers did not find any evidence of forced entry at the woman’s residence, which she shares with a 97-year-old roommate.

EXIT STRATEGY
8:17 p.m. — 5200 block of Ocean Boulevard. Disturbance. A woman spit in a man’s face during a verbal argument after exiting an electric taxi.

Feb. 28
KNOCK, KNOCK
1:48 a.m. — 6300 block of Midnight Pass Road. Disturbance. A hotel manager called deputies and reported that a woman was banging on a hotel room door. The woman told officers she went for a walk and a man inside locked her out. The man cracked a window to communicate with deputies and said she was too intoxicated to return to his room.